Jewelry Box Memories
by Thorn on a Rose
Summary: The key to Tomoyo's precious memories is always within reach, but it just might be too late to make them more than memories as the years pass by. Shoujo-ai


I decided I needed to have at least one Cardcaptor fanfic in my files so here it is!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own this series...CLAMP does.

ON WITH THE STORY

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**Jewelry Box Memories**

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The key slid into the lock without any hardship and with only a quick twist of her thumb and forefinger the old mechanism released a quiet click. Leaving the cute palm-sized key in the lock, reverent hands cradled the lid to an old wooden jewelry box inlaid with patterns of flowers and branches. Taking a moment to trace the nadeshiko blossoms and branches of sakura with stormy violet eyes, the owner of the small chest drew in a shallow breath before lifting the lid and revealing the treasured contents.

A maroon velvet lined the inside of the cavity, reflecting the elegance of the jewelry box but also providing a soft haven for the objects resting there. The contents were a far cry from exquisite and expensive baubles of gems and minerals, but in the heart of their owner they were priceless items because of the memories and emotions attached to them. Despite the infrequency of visits the dark violet eyes picked out, one by one, the objects in chronological order, followed closely by caressing fingers.

A cotton cloth bag with only a ribbon to hold it closed and the precious first gift secreted inside drew a happy nostalgic smile from deep pink lips. She remembered their first meeting and the first kindness – both which took place during their first year in school so long ago.

Wishing to linger longer but knowing time was short she moved on to sketches of her first dresses – all handmade for her beloved. Those outfits gave way to many many more throughout their time as best friends and became a running joke shared only by those who knew of the purpose quite a few of her more outrageous costumes had when worn.

Careful not to smudge the already faint lines of pencil eroded away by time, she picked up a book of sheet music. Ah, her first solo piece. Opening to the front page, she was pleasantly surprised to find some dried flower petals still caught in the seam from the night of that concert. Smiling brilliantly with a lovely blush staining her cheeks she recalled how her beloved had made it rain flowers during her curtain call. Those bright green eyes that had watched only her as the applause washed through her tired body, rejuvenating it.

Gently closing the music book, she replaced it then took out two photos of all of her friends – one at graduation from middle school and the other with all of them standing at the entrance of their high school. She and her beloved were standing hand-in-hand in the middle of both the pictures, but while those green eyes were sparkling at the camera in excitement, hers were focused solely on her beloved. Chuckling softly at the lovesick puppy look clearly evident to her but not to her oblivious beloved, the older woman set the photos back in their place.

Pausing a moment to brace herself, she picked up two concert tickets, stubs untouched, with trembling fingers. The memory forever attached to these two innocent pieces of paper always burned her heart because they were to be the event where all her hopes and wishes would finally be given voice and perhaps finally come true. She was going to tell her beloved of the love she has harbored in her heart for so long now. They were both in their last year in high school and the concert was going to be on the night of her beloved's birthday. It was a surprise that never came.

Instead of her beloved receiving the surprise, _she_ got a surprise...a heartbreaking one. Her beloved had been asked out already – asked to be the one and only for someone other than her. It took every ounce of self-control she had to swallow her grief and wish her beloved well as she saw them off on their date, tickets clenched tightly in her fist and shielded by her coat pocket. After they were gone she completely shattered.

Even now, at least a decade later, the memory of the day she found out she had failed brings tears to haze her vision. Letting the tickets fall back into the box she had to take another few moments to regain her composure and patch her freshly wounded heart once more. After that revelation it was harder to be around her beloved, so she began to make up excuses and avoiding the new couple.

Years passed by in a blur of hard work in her mother's company and endless fashion designing in an attempt to create a new branch of the business and head it. As a consequence she barely allowed herself any time to rest, afraid of the dreams of what could have been if she had just built up her courage sooner.

Then, one day, her beloved got fed up with her silence and kidnapped her right from her bed for three weeks. She found out later that her mother had assisted her beloved and had arranged everything. It was simultaneously the best and worst (forced) vacation she had ever had. I was just her and her beloved...best friends reconnecting as her green-eyed love told her when she had asked why.

The coral pink seashell spiraled in her palm as she held it, remembering the long walks, the peaceful nights, the perfect company along a private beach. Those three weeks snapped her out of her funk by reminding her that she could still be with her beloved and was indeed loved by them.

Just not quite in the way she had always longed for.

With a light sigh she gently set the shell on the velvet, then turned her attention to the dark tabletop the jewelry box stood on. There were three more objects waiting to join her treasure chest of memories.

An ink sketched design of the most beautiful white wedding dress anyone has ever seen. Silk, satin, lace, it all went in to making a flattering vision of beauty. She even created the train out of feathers to make it seem like her beloved was floating gracefully up the aisle.

A bouquet that burst with color to represent her beloved's many cute emotions. Even the fragrances paled in comparison to her beloved smiling so happily as her cheeks blushed a brilliant rose, making those emerald eyes brighter than usual as the gorgeous bride came to the altar on a cloud of the sweetest perfume to ever infuse the air.

And a garter belt of the finest jade silk and cream lace that she had caught despite being the shortest person in the crowd of groomsmen and male relatives. It was quite amusing to watch everyone's reaction when she had teasingly wrapped the hard won garter belt around the body of her camera and kept filming everything – Her beloved's blush was especially cute.

Safely tucked away with her other precious things, she softly closed the lid, turned the key so the lock would engage, and returned the small key attached to a simple black leather string to its rightful place around her neck. She knows there will be more memories of her beloved to lock away with her heart but for now she was content to pack the jewelry box away.

The pink cellphone in her dress pocket rang out in a cute little melody, shaking her from her musings. Pulling the device out and flipping it open to the screen, she saw that is was her beloved calling so she picked it up.

"Hi, Sakura-chan."

"Hi, Tomoyo-chan! You wont believe where Sayoran took me for our honeymoon! It's so beautiful!"

Turning to watch the dawn rising outside of the large glass patio doors that led to her bedroom balcony, Tomoyo Daidouji couldn't help but smile at her Sakura's enthusiasm even as her heart twinged slightly.

"The Caribbean is a beautiful place isn't it, Sakura-chan."

"Hoee! How did you know Tomoyo-chan?"

Giggling, Tomoyo pushed open the glass doors and strode out onto the balcony, leaning against the railing as she spotted a young woman walking along the immaculate beach below. The beautiful woman was talking on her cellphone and laughed when Tomoyo replied.

"Well, you need _someone_ to film all the great memories you and Li-kun are going to make so..."

"Hahahahaha! Oh, Tomoyo-chan, what would I do without you, my best friend? Hey, Tomoyo-chan?"

"Yes Sakura-chan?"

The young woman had stopped at the edge of the waterline and was scuffing her toes in the white sand; she looked like she was blushing and Tomoyo could not take her stormy violet eyes off her.

"Will you come down and walk on the beach with me while Sayoran sleeps off his jet-lag? I want to spend some time with you and thank you for everything you have done for us."

Already slipping on her white strap sandals and grabbing her room card key off of the dresser by the door, Tomoyo was halfway out into the hall by the time Sakura had finished asking, her mini-camera already secured to her belt by a clip.

"Of course, Sakura-chan. I'll be right down."

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This one was a little sad but good...right?

Please read and review!

ToaR


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